Ciamverde
Ciamverde (Esperanto - Always Green) is a heavily colonised Garden world in the Ayeseeaye (Alpha Centauri A) system, first settled in 2123. The initial colonists were from four of the five nations which had colonised Gaia - Brazil, China, the WEU, and the United Commonwealth. The Russian Federation claimed that it was intending to focus on its colony on Gaia, but was in truth planning to seek out new worlds for itself. Following China's defeat in the First Gaia War that country was forced to abandon its colony on Ciamverde. The newly renamed UOE claimed around ten percent of the former Chinese territory the rest was eventually passed on Japan. Initially several landmasses had been left unclaimed by the first wave of colonist, with the intention that they might be settled by other countries. In 2155 two of these landmasses were colonised by refugees from the Middle East, creating Israel-in-Exile and Khemed. Subsequently India and South Africa have established colonies. The remaining unclaimed territories are considered unsuitable for colonisation due to their harsh climate. Continental Names When Ciamverde was initially surveyed each of the main landmasses were given provisional names based on the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma and so on) with the intention that eventually permanent names would be allocated using a naming convention similar to that on Gaia. Disagreement between the colonising nations over the convention to be used, however, meant that none of the suggested names were accepted. Eventually in 2146 it was agreed that the two polar regions would be named Ultima in the North and Omega to the South, beyond that however no new names could be agreed upon, a situation which exists to this day Colonising Nations Brazil - Founded 2123, Population 187.81 million India - Founded 2236, Population 65.22 million Japan - Founded 2178, Population 148.50 million South Africa - Founded 2297, Population 108.32 million Unio de Okcidenta Europo - founded 2123, (reformed 2370) Population 109.78 million United Commonwealth - Founded 2123, Population 201.13 million Independent Nations As well as the main colonies Cimaverde is home to three nations with only limited links to Earth. The most famous is the Republic of Ciamverde, the original UOE colony (formally known as Epona) which broke away from Earth in 2368. The other two nations are Israel (New Zion) and Khemed. Both of these nations were founded by survivors of the Middle East atomic exchange of 2119. In addition to the national colonies a number of private and commercial interests have established unofficial outposts in the unclaimed territories, mostly for mineral extraction but several religious groups have also sought to found new "Promised Lands" in the harsh environments around the coastal regions. Flora and Fauna As with Gaia, the early settlers on Ciamverde hoped to domesticate a number of species of plants and animals to provide food for both the colonists and for Earth. Unlike on Gaia however none of the local grasses were suitable for agriculture. A series of amino acids found in all of the native species meant that their seeds were unpalatable to humans. Attempts have been made to genetically engineer strains without these acids but to date all such attempts have failed. Interestingly these same amino acids make the indigenous grasses highly nutritious to cattle, allowing them to break down the nutrients with ease. The early colonists eventually imported grain seed from Earth, primarily wheat and barley but also rice. The most important native species of plant is Schaffer's Bean (fabo in Esperanto). Despite it's name Schaffer's Bean is not a legume, it is in fact a perennial herbaceous shrub which produces a number of stems (between eight and fourteen) from a tuber-like root growth every spring. The seeds grow in long, thin bunches, known as fingers, from the stems. Each stem produces between three and five fingers each with between eight and fourteen beans depending on the age of the plant. Typical yields are:- *1st growing season - no crops *2nd growing season (pale white flowers) - eight to ten stems, three fingers each *3rd growing season (yellow flowers) - ten to twelve stems, four or five fingers each *4th growing season (yellow flowers) - ten to fourteen stems, five fingers each *5th growing season (cream flowers) - ten to fourteen stems, three or four fingers. After the fourth harvest (i.e. the fifth growing season) the plants are dug up and the tubers harvested. Each tuber is between 3.2 and 4.5kg in weight. Branching off from the main tuber are a number of smaller growths, known as buds. These buds can be either cut off and used as a food or planted to provide replacement plants. Tubers and buds can be either eaten fresh or slowly dried in a cool, dark environment. Dried they can stay edible for up to six months and have as many culinary uses as potatoes or yams. The seeds are treated in exactly the same way as broad (fava) beans with regards to both storage and cooking. The beans are an excellent source of protein and fibre as well as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. The tubers are rich in iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A and B. There is also a third source of food connected to Schaffer's Beans - honey. The flowers, produced in the spring, attracted not only many local insect species but also honey bees imported from Earth. Honey made from Bean flowers is light and sweet with a mild aroma. Ciamverde was the first planet where true megafauna was discovered. Several of the native species are true giants, dwarfing the long extinct elephant of Earth. The largest species is the Titanobovine, often simply known as Titans. These massive, six legged, creatures have bodies which resemble those of dinosaurs of the Sauropod family, although Titans have no tails. A fully grown Titan can reach ten metres in length and weigh upwards of twelve tons. Titans are found on both the Republic of Ciamverde and Khemed. Planetary Data Category:Colony Worlds Category:Garden Worlds Category:Ciamverde